pleasure of Princes He that confesseth me before men I will confesse him before my father in heauen But he that denyeth me c. And we must learne to say with the Apostle Paule If I seeke to please men I am not the seruant of Christ It is an olde saying and a true All is not Gold that glistereth but the fiery fornace wil soon try it Euery piece of yron that wee see is not perfect and sound yron for sometimes it is eaten through with the canker and this when the file commeth vpon it is easily knowne Wheate and chaffe lye mingled together in one barne til a gale of wind come and blowe them in sunder and then they appeare both plainely what they are let vs acquaint our selues with our good GOD by continuall and heartie prayer that by his goodnes wee may bee prepared against the day of his visitation to abide what in mercy he shall think good to lay vpon vs. The fearefulnes of fleshe and blood is such and the delight therof in worldly prosperity so great that aduersitie is not easily borne Imprisonment is accounted painefull but it is more painefull to enioy libertie vpon euill conditions The prisons are thought lothsome vnsauery but yet not more lothsome then the sweetest houses where the feare of God is wanting It is grieuous to man to be solitary and alone yet better is it to be so then in companie with the wicked It toucheth vs very neare to loose liuing and goodes but it shal be found to touch nearer to loose the fauour and grace of God We vse it as a common speech that life is sweete but most sweete and pleasant is it to loose this life full of mortall miseries to finde and enioye the life full of eternall ioyes We are loth to leaue our friendes wife and children but we must beware that in abiding with them wee stay not in the displeasure of our God These trials must needes come vpon vs and whosoeuer liueth to it is like to tast of thē But be of good cheare Whom the Lord loueth hee chastiseth euen to this ende that hee might call them to remember their sinnes and so runne by repentance to him and aske mercy and then he might pardon and forgiue them in respect wherof we are not to lamēt but to prayse the Lorde not to be dismaide but to be cōforted that our God wil vouchsafe to offer vs his crosse whereby he seeketh to traine vs vp to the place of endlesse ioye and comfort It is an assurance laide vp vnto vs that if we suffer we shall raigne If we confesse him before men in earth hee will confesse vs beefore his father in heauen If wee bee not ashamed of his Gospell heere he will not be ashamed of vs at the last daye Remember the words of our sauiour Christ in the. 5. of Mathew Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theires is the kyngdome of heauen Call to mynde that which Paule saith in the 8. to the Romaines The afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you Wherefore seeing that euen in the crosse we beholde and see the mercie of our God which is more sweete and to be set by then any mucke or pelfe of this world yea much more then is life it selfe Let vs keepe on our course Let vs walke before our God in simplicitie of heart knowing this that not a heyre of heade can perish without the wil of our heauenly father neither can any man or diuel be able to attēpt any thing much lesse to do any thing to vs without the sufferance of the Almightie And when leaue is graunted they shall goe no further then he will Wherefore casting all our care vppon the Lord who careth sufficiently for vs Let vs lay aside all feare and onely studie whilest we liue heare to please him and to keepe our consciences cleane from the pollutions of this present age that both our minde and tongue our life and beliefe may be answerable to eche other and that for euer the word of truth may be a light to lighten our steps in the path of true holines The Lorde in the riches of his mercy impart vnto vs all such portion of his holy spirit that when the time of our tryall shall come and that the winde of persecution shall blow vpon vs we may be founde pure golde made clearer by the fornace perfect yron bryghtened by the fyle and good Wheate seuered from the light chaffe and so constantly continue Christ his faythfull souldiers and seruantes to our liues end And thus Madam haue I dedicated to your selfe particulerly a translated treatise as a pledge of my reuerend loue I beare you and to others generally a long and rude Epistle with it Your selfe I trust will accept my simple trauaile therin take it in good part and others I hope to whose handes this Epistle and treatise shall come will make fauourable construction thereof and will beare with all defectes therein whatsoeuer My desire was to warne encourage which how weakely soeuer it be perfourmed I trust it shall no whit hinder but rather further to so necessary a meditation that obtained I haue my desire beseeching God to open our eyes that we may see our deserts thereby know our perils and knowing the same may labour to meete the Lord by repentance before he come whether it bee for a time to scourge vs in iustice or to performe the last time of his comming in iudgement to euery one the portion allotted vnto him for his hire from the beginning which time of his comming the Lorde hasten to performe and fulfill for his electes sake Amen ¶ Grace mercie and peace from God our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ I Was very glad deere brethren when I vnderstood how God of his goodnes mercie had visited you to the grace of the holy Gospell and to the knowledge of his truth and thereby to the cōmunion of his sonne Iesus Christ who is the treasure of all ages for this is a treasure conteyning immortall riches wherein lyeth all our blessednes and felicitie this is an inestimable benefite and the greatest wée coulde receiue of God Wherefore we haue good cause to giue him thankes for the same continually to the intent that by our ingratitude wee may not prouoke him to anger against vs nor stirre him vp or moue him to take from vs the talent which he hath giuen vs for we may well say of our selues that which Dauid said of himselfe and of all the people of God The Lorde hath not thus done to all nations neither hath hee manifested to them his iudgements When a king taketh some one into his seruice and giueth him some honorable office in his Court we thinke it a greate honour vnto him which is called to such a promotion and esteeme him greately beholding and bounde to the King Let vs then
thinke what cause we haue to glorifie and magnifie GOD our father seeyng that wee see hee is come to elect and choose vs from amongest all other not onelye to be his seruantes but also to bee his children and to bee kinges and heyres of his kingdome and that he leaueth a greate number of others that bee wyser richer and that beare a greater shewe then wee to put the treasures of his grace into so poore vessels of earth as we be so vyle so base so weake so frayle and brittle And therefore wee ought greatly to feare Sect. to abuse this greate goodnes of GOD towardes vs and the giftes which wee haue receaued of him we must take good heede wee hyde them not in the earth as the slouthfull and vnfaithfull seruant did hide his talent but as the other good and faithfull seruauntes did we must put them to some vse to the intent they maye bring foorth fruite to their Maister and Lorde who to this ende hath pu◠them into our handes for why doth GOD call vs into his seruice but to serue him why doth GOD communicate his graces vnto vs but that wee shoulde employe them to his honour and glorie and to the edifiyng of his Churche howe can wee bee Gods seruantes and remayne idle in his house and doe nothing but which is worse how will he suffer vs there if in steede of seruing Christ Iesus we serue Antichrist and the Deuill his aduersaries Let vs therefore remember that which the Lorde sayth To him that hath it shal bee giuen and to him that hath nothing it shal be taken from him euen that he hath Wee see this by experience before our eyes euerye day to come to passe wee see Sect. howe GOD encreaseth his graces towards them which vse them as they ought and how on the contrary he depriueth them thereof which abuse them and howe hee giueth them vp into a reprobate sense for when they knewe GOD they glorified him not as God but gaue the honour which apperteyneth to him onelie to creatures and Idols Wherefore we ought not to maruell if we see many to whō God hath giuē some knowledge of truth which become godles mockers of holy scriptures to become as dogges to eate that which they once vomited and as swyne to wallowe themselues in the myre and filthe out of the which God had drawen them wee cannot doubt but such a curse is the most horrible most fearefull iudgement of God which can come to man it is the iudgement which he is woont to execute vpon the ingratefull and contemners of his word and blasphemers of his graces therefore let vs take heede that we neither dally of him nor with him let vs hearken how the Apostle warneth vs let vs not abuse our selues for God can neither be deluded nor mocked And therefore let vs learne to walke with Sect. him in all feare honour and reuerence let vs make our profite of his seuere iudgement whiche hee setteth before our eyes as in a glasse when hee punisheth so sharply those which after they had known him haue forsakē him and despised his worde let vs beware we esteeme not lightly anye thing that hee hath commaunded or forbidden but let vs feare to offende him in anye thing whatsoeuer eyther in omitting that which hee hath commanded vs to doe or in doyng that which he hath forbidden Let vs looke more to the authoritie of the Sect. Lawe maker and to his will then to the naked lawe and let vs iudge thereof according to his will and not according to our owne let vs consider with our selues that we cannot transgresse the left commandement that euer he gaue without despising his maiestie and authoritie For if we regard not his commaundements we declare manifestly thereby that wee feare him not but that we dally with him as though wee helde him in our sleeue to doe with him as pleaseth vs or els we giue to vnderstād that we wil correct him as not well aduised and as though he had fayled eyther in cōmaunding or forbidding things vnworthy to be cōmaunded or forbidden Ought this arrogācy presumptiō despising of god his authority to be esteemed a smal fault Is it not greater then high treason seeing that the Maiesty and authority of God passeth all authoritie and excellencie of man What lesse punishment then can he deserue then death and eternal dānation if God wil condemne him according to the rigour of his iudgement And therefore my brethren wee must take Sect. Seducing of himselfe good heede that wee deceaue not our selues or that we suffer not our selues to bee easilye seduced by others which may bee among vs for many doe boast of the knowledge of God which notwithstanding make no great conscience to doe contrary to his will in all things which are of no small importance which notwithstāding seeme to them very smal because they perswade themselues so and that they iudge thereof according to their owne affectiō But if they did iudge of them according to the iudgemēt of the spirit of God they should know that they are very vnpleasant detestable before God of that nature that there is nothing that he doth more abhorre detest nor that hee hath punished more grieuously at al times It is not a small matter to prouoke God to anger and we cannot more prouoke him then by Idolatrie and superstition which is the fountaine of all other euils and a sinne which doth estrange and draw vs wholly from God Let vs not abuse our selues for it may seeme to vs that the thinges which wee doe Sect. to keepe vs in league with the children of this worlde are not of great importance Let vs beware that Sathan drawe vs not from obeying the commandement of GOD by the deceaueablenes of our fleshe as he withdrew Adam by the meanes of Eue after that by his Gen. 3. lye she was seduced he thought with himselfe it was no greate faulte to eate of the fruite of a Tree but it was very great sith GOD had forbidden it as experience taught it afterwarde for by this transgression all the lynage of man was destroyed and all creatures were made subiect to Curse Let vs neuer suffer therfore the word of God Sect. To hold the word fast to bee snatched out of our handes whatsoeuer reason or whatsoeuer colour or cloke fleshe can alleadge vnto vs let vs bee as warye as wee woulde bee to fall into the fire to drawe backe from this worde and to abandon it one only steppe For wee neede not goe farre aside to misse the waye to set vs altogether out of the way and when one is once fallen out of the way the further hee goeth on the further hee wandreth and multiplyeth errour vppon errour so that after it is verye harde for him to finde his right waye and to come thither whether hee purposed Wherefore to auoyde the falling into
receiueth it And when we are partakers of the ceremonies sacrifices and Sacraments whether they be of the faithful or infidels we bynde our selues sweare vnto that religion by which we communicate with them We haue then trimly sayde that our meaning is farre other for God alloweth no Sophistrie he cānot cal things by but their name fraude and deceit is somewhat more honest amongest men then manifest thefte yet is it accounted before God for theft in deede what name so euer men giue it wherfore let vs not thinke that by our goodlie shewes our Idolatry is so excused that it is not Idolatrye and a true kinde of renouncing Christ Iesus although it seme to vs somewhat more alowable then to deny him openly S. Peter denyed Christ with his mouth he said he was none of his and do wee make anie more of him what speech do our works vtter els but the same of S. Peter where vnto tendeth our Idolatries and outward hipocrysies but to let Infidels vnderstand that wee are not the Disciples of Christ Iesus that we know neither him nor his Gospel To replie that we do it not with the hart but Sect. the heart is farre otherwise So was euen the heart of S. Peter it grieued him greatly to deny Christ Iesus but the infirmitie of the flesh feare of death ouercame the christian constancie which ought to haue bene in him yet can we not excuse him but that he sinned greatlie and we are lesse to bee excused then he for he denyed not Iesus Christ for feare of loosing his worldly goodes or for any light cause as we customablie doe but for feare of death he went not to present him selfe willingly to renounce him as we doe he went not to the Byshops houses nor to the high Priestes of the Lawe to please them or other of the Iewes or to make them beleeue he was of their company or that he had no acquaintance or familiaritie with Iesus as they doe which frequent the temples of Idols he went thither to stand faythfully vnto him as he had promised for the loue and affection he bare to him yet was hee caught and seeing how his maister was handled amongst the murderers and veiwing the place where he was fearing death which was manifestly before his face was ouercome by the infirmitie of his flesh for he was so troubled that he knewe not what he sayd or did for that hee saw not Iesus Christ then but as a poore miserable creature forsakē of al men for he had not yet such knowledg of his diuinitie nor had not receiued the holy Ghost so abundantly as he had after But we that confesse Iesus Christ to be set Sect. at the right hand of God his father aboue al the heauens we tary not till our aduersarie vrge vs and presse vpon vs and that tyrants constraine vs to renounce him but imediatly of our own accord voluntarily we go to the assemblies of Idolaters to the same purpose knowing well that we must needes dishonour Iesus Christ with them howe much the more they marke behold vs so much the more we shew our selues plentifull in all kindes of blasphemies Idolatries There is not so smal an Idol wherūto we do not reuerence wherunto we do not bow the knee fearing to be accounted true scholers of Christ Iesus The auncient christians did so lightly esteem Sect. these matters as we do but they thought it so vile so detestable vnworthie a thing for a christian that hardly they would account thē for brethren christians which had not beene constant in the torments and which liked better to forsake and forsweare Christ Iesus then to suffer death at the least those which accounted their life more deare to them then the glory of Iesus Christ hardly could they euer bee receiued into the ministerie of the Gospel yet was it sufficient to the Idolaters and Infidels that those whom they persecuted for christians should make onely the least shewe onely in the world to allow their doings and to honour their Idols by outward tokens they cared not what the heart was so that they might onely draw one woorde from their mouthes or cause them to shewe foorth some gesture whiche they might drawe to theyr aduantage to boast that they had made them to abiure But the fleshe wil replie that if it should do otherwise Sect. it should put it self in danger of being persecuted to cause others to be persecuted should stir vp great offences Neere are goodly reasons of mans wisedome and very fit for the fleshe and the schoole from whence they proceede I am in cōpany of Adulterers which go into a brothell house and fearing to offende them I enter in with them to keepe them companie But some will replie againe that the Brothell house and Idoles temple is not al one but much worse for what is Idolatrie and superstition else but adultery and fornication with strāge gods the tēples of Idols what are they els but brothel houses of Sathan wherin we violate the fayth promysed to our Lord Iesus Christ and wherin we giue our selues ouer as whooremongers and adulterers vnto strange Goddes and to the Diuel as to our lovers I knowe not howe wee maye speake this more ciuilly if we will not correct the speech which the spirit of GOD hath vttered by his Prophets whiche commonly vse these Exo. 16. kinde of speeches when they preache agaynst the Idolatrye of the chyldren of Israell But a man may yet reply Although the body be there yet we consent not in heart and yet we auoyde offence and persecution Dina the daughter of Iacob whom the Sonne of the king of Sichem rauished consented not in heart to the wickednes of the adulterer yet was shee not altogether without faulte she was for all that corrupted and counted for an harlot for if she had remayned in her fathers house without wandering abrode to go see the daughters of the countrie she might haue auoided that great inconuenience whereby she fell into great dishonour and was cause of great euill Which of vs all would be content if his wife Sect. after shee had yeelded her body to an adulterer should make him this answeare saying although he had his pleasure of me yet was it against my will but because I saw my selfe amongst adulterers fearing to be spoiled that they woulde cut my Purse or take awaye my Gowne or my Kercheife I consented to their will but I did it vnwillingly to auoyde that they might doe me no displeasure and for the feare I had to offend and anger them Had not the husband good cause to say what hadst thou to doe in the brothels house why wentest thou thither had not it been better for thee to haue lost all that thou haddest all thy Iewelles thy rayment yea thy lyfe then thy chastitie soule and to offend God who commandeth vs to choose
and foolish opinion and imaginatiō of Idolaters therfore the Idol nor the foolish cōceit that Idolaters had of their idols could not let the faythfull frō vsing the good creatures of God but the ignorant which among the christians vnderstood not that point so well as others And therefore it seemed to them they could not vse any thing that had beene dedicated to Idols but they shoulde testifie they did some reuerence to the Idols and serue them wherefore they made conscience therof did eate of that flesh in doubt by reason of their ignorance This doubt ignorance is the infirmitie which S. Paule speaketh of in this place but whē these ignorāt saw others eate of the flesh they were mooued by their exāple to eate therof as well as they with this doubt scruple of cōscience wherin they offēded God for seeing they doubted there was no faith but there was contēpt of God seeing they did it against their conscience what ignorāce soeuer there were And therfore S. Paule reproueth them that were the cause thereof Moreouer wherefore did S. Paule reprooue Sect. S. Peter in Antioch before all that were present for that he dissembled to eate flesh with the Gentiles when he saw the Iewes enter which came from Hierusalem to eate flesh and not to eate is a thing indifferent and therfore S. Peter made it no conscience to eate fleshe with the Gentiles but fearing to offend the Iewes which were weake and which vnderstood not yet that libertie he withdrew him selfe from the table seeming not to eate wherfore S. Paule reproued him openly although S. Peter did the same to a good intent and for feare to offend for in thinking to auoyd the offending of the Iewes he offended the Gentiles with an offence much more dangerous for insteede of withdrawing the Iewes from their Iudaisme he enduced the gentiles to play the Iewes by his example and troubled their conscience Then let vs consider if the holye Apostle Sect. coulde not allowe in these things indifferent that the faithfull should vse their libertie with good conscience as touching them selues if therby they haue giuen any cause of offence to the weake to confirme them in any superstition or to stirre them vp to doe any thing against their conscience howe he would permit that those which went them selues to be of the faithfull should offend God and their neighboure in thinges which are not indifferent but altogether contrarie to the commandement of God and much more execrable then one would thinke as he manifestly sheweth for he hath rather forbidden in his Law Idolatrie and the honour and reuerence which is done to Images then he hath done murder and adulterie Then if Saint Paule hath reprooued and Sect. condēned the Corinthians who by their knowledge and example in abusing their libertie licenciously haue giuen occasion to the ignorāt to eate flesh sacrificed vnto Idols with scruple and doubt of conscience what would he say of those which giue not onely occasion to others to honour and reuerence Idols against their conscience but doe leade them to doe so both by their doctrine and example For to eate fleshe then offred to Idoles as if one shoulde eate other fleshe without hauing other opinion of Idols then the faythfull haue was not sinne in it selfe to him that vsed it in that sort but it was sinne to the ignorant and weake christians which vnderstood not as yet their libertie who did eate thereof not to such intent as Idolaters which did eate thereof for honour to their idols but did eat therof with scruple of of conscience fearing thereby to offende God There was then no sin in the vsage of the thing as in it selfe but that themselues brought therto by their ignorance and the doubt in conscience they did put therin for seeing they thought that fleshe and meate vncleane and defiled although of it selfe it were pure and cleane to the faithfull which accounted it so yet to them was it polluted and vncleane for it was not purified to them by the word of God without the which euerie thing is vncleane to vs seeing they were not yet well assured thereby that they might eate therof without offending God seeing that assurance did fayle them which they could not haue but by the word of God it followeth that that they did was not done in fayth and cōsequently that it was sinne for what soeuer is done without fayth is sinne and what soeuer is done without stedfast assurance of the woorde of GOD with doubt of conscience is done without fayth wherefore following the doctrine of S. Paule wee cannot deny but that is sinne for the faythfull ought to doe nothing nor take any thing in hande whereof he is not playnly resolued and assured by the word of God otherwise he sinneth and therefore those whiche knowing the libertie they hadde to eate of that flesh fleshe were cause by their example that the others did eate thereof with that doubt they had therein they were cause that these sinned in that they which had the knowledge of their libertie had not sinned if that they had not in that point beene an offence to the others that is if they had not emboldened them to eate against their conscience of that meate whereof they stood in doubt but those that doe encourage others to communicate with Idolaters they doe much worse without comparison for that Idolatrie whiche they commit cannot be accounted as a thing indifferent neither to them that haue knowledg nor to the ignorant neither do I thinke that a man who hath the knowledge of the gospel how little so euer it be can communicate there without scruple of consciēce those thē which induce them thither are they not offensiue to them And if these outward adorations and hypocrisies Sect. were indifferent and lawfull for Christians to vse the children of the hebrewes and Daniell also had bene very rashe and obstinate Fooles yf to saue their lyues they woulde not haue fayned to obeye the kinges commaundemente as others did to alleadge against this that wee are then bound to confesse Iesus Christ manifestly when we are required or constrained to deny him or confesse him by some euident signe as they were constrained but that otherwise we may dissemble the matter especially when we are not knowen nor marked therein I knowe not what sure foundation these reasons may haue If we be bound to confesse Iesus Christ being in danger of life I cannot vnderstande how it can be lawfull for vs to deny him beeing farre from danger But how can it be lawfull for vs to offend Sect. the faythfull and to nourish and establish the faithfull in the errour of idolatrie for feare of troubling and offending the infidels whome we cannot in better sorte offend then in cherishing and confirming them in their superstitions and abuses It seemeth to mee that this feare of offending is like to the charitie of some Anabaptistes which
the Idolaters and strengthen the faithfull and woulde take away all cause of offending the good and woulde leaue no matter to the Idolaters wherin to glorifie but the cause why we goe it is to doe farre contrary it is to couer vs and not to vncouer vs. Yet notwithstanding if wee shoulde doe as Sect. Naaman did yet ought we no more to iustifie our selues then he but wee ought to aske pardō of God for it as he did And if Naamā were afraid to offend God by that act although he had a goodly cloke to excuse himselfe I ashamed of those with are quite cōtrary to him that they dare so assuredly defend their worke as if there were no sinne in it And to make their matter better after they had red that which was written against their opinion seene themselues bereft of that weapon which they tooke from the example of Naaman to defend their cause they sought another starting hole wherein there is slender foundation they haue imagined that when Naaman made y◠confession to Elizeus which was spokē of before that it is very like he was alone that he said it not before al the cōpany which was with him they proue their imaginatiō by this that it is the custome of great Lordes to speake in a Maiestie of their affaires in the absence of their seruants rather then in their presence Wherefore they cause thē to depart for better confirmation hereof they alleadge that when Geazi ran after Naaman that Naaman descēded out of his chariot that hee came before him Wherefore they conclude that he spake to him apart in absence of his seruants and that hee might well do as much to Elizeus when hee vsed that talke with him wherof the holy scripture maketh mention This is the sophistrie whereby some wil now Sect. adayes make this exāple of force to helpe an euill cause but I know not to what ende it may serue them but to shew that those which are so seene in speculation to imagine these starting holes know wel what they haue to doe that it seemeth they are desirous to finde some cloke in scriptures to couer their matter that they would gladly make the spirite of God which speaketh in his holy scriptures to thinke that he would speake vnderstande things as they would haue it For as for the first all their reason is grounded but vpon imagination which it is as easie to disproue as to allowe but of thinges of so great importance wee must not iudge vpō presumptiōs imaginatiōs Moreouer the scripture doth manifestly witnes that he promised cōfessed he would serue none other God but the Lord woulde declare it by sacrifices and by outward confession publike testimonie to giue this testimony he desired these two mules charged with the earth of Israel as his wordes do manifestly witnes For to what purpose should that earth serue him more then the earth of Syria but to this end then wee haue no cause to doubt but that that matter is easie as he hath purposed demanded it For that which the prophet answered him after the maner which the Hebrwes vse in their salutations whē they bid a man farewell saying to him goe in peace ought not that only to be reserued to the last speech that Naamā vsed touching his worshipping in the Temple of Remmon but to all his former woordes wherein the Prophete consenteth to him The matter then is plaine that his confession was not secrete but publike and therefore his example serueth to no ende for them which content them selues to haue confessed Iesus Christe in secrete before a fewe and blaspheme him publikely It is easie to vnderstande all these thinges Sect. but we seeke these cloking starting holes because we wil not be vnfurnished And what is the cause if we should discouer our selues we shold yeeld our selues all vnto death and shoulde bee murtherers of our selues But those which are out of this danger may babble at their ease our life costeth them little I know some vse suche speech but yet their life is dearer to vs then they thinke for we are no lesse afraide to put them in danger then themselues for wee are not out of pryson without being mindefull of them feeling the afflictions of our brethren as if we were there our selues and therefore it is more safe to followe the iudgementes of those which are out of danger thē those which are in it it is very hard that the sicke man shoulde be a good Phisitiō to himselfe but he hath need of another for it is doubtfull hee would rather make the medicine serue his affections thē rule his affections by the art of Phisicke for sicknesse desireth to entertaine it selfe willeth alwaies that is contrarie vnto it the sicke man also beleeueth rather the phisitions which accord vnto his will then they that gaine say it It is very hard also that a man should bee a good iudge of his owne cause for hardly could he auoide but his affections woulde cary him away hinder him frō seeing the right giuing good iudgement wherefore it is requisite to seeke iudges which be not ouermuch affectioned to the matter do not iudge at randon according to their fancie but bee of good cōscience with out looking to the affection of any but to God only to right and equitie And therefore my brethren consider whether Sect. I speake of mine own head or whether I bring my minde or the mind of God If I speake any other then the word of god my reasons ought not to moue you nor trouble you but you ought to let thē passe as vaine friuolous If I offer vnto you the coūcell of god you haue no cause to be angry or to cōplaine that we are too sharp our iudgement is too hard for would you that wee should change the meaning of god should belie him I haue vnderstood the cōplaints the attestations that som make to cause vs to bethink our selues what we write of these matters They say it is true that the cōtrouersie matter is not of the shadow of an Asse or the wooll of a goate as the olde Prouerbe is but of that they account most deare in this world that is of a thing for which we must forsake our countrie our wife our deare children our goods and all that euer wee may haue delight pleasure in this worlde yea to the loosing of our life running straight vpon death and I denie not but these things are very sharpe and hard to flesh wherefore I cannot thinke therof without great compassion of these which are in such a straight but what shoulde we doe there wee ought to think it more strange and fearefull to forsake Iesus Christe the heauenly habitation and the eternall felicitie then these transitorie thinges which without that we must once forsake Wee would gladly